Monique Nelson

Monique L. Nelson is the executive chair of UniWorld Group Inc., the longest-standing multicultural advertising and marketing agency in the United States. An industry thought leader and marketing visionary, Nelson purchased the controlling stake of UWG in 2012, becoming the chair and chief executive officer (CEO). UWG is best known for its audience insights, culture-driven storytelling, and breakthrough creative.

Nelson has expanded UWG globally under her leadership, placing offices in Canada and Africa. The agency has also increased client offerings beyond advertising and marketing to include cultural fluency, transformation and inclusion for its audiences; as well as providing strengthened name/image/likeness (NIL) product/brand strategies and launching UWG’s proprietary data and research tool Culture Labs. Culture Labs is the first data insights platform that allows marketers to accurately identify audiences, understand what influences their purchase decisions, and reach them through digital media channels.

Prior to joining UWG, Nelson was the global lead for entertainment marketing at Motorola Inc., where she ensured that the technology giant’s entertainment and music strategies and collaborations lived up to their promise as results-driven strategic marketing ideas worldwide.

She sits on the board for Student Athlete NIL (SANIL). She is also on the board of trustees at Brandeis University, the Advertising Week Global Board, and the AdWeek Diversity & Inclusion Council. Nelson is a founding member of BLACKWEEK.

She gives back to her community and serves on the boards of The Eagle Academy, Human Better EDU, and MOBB United for Change, as well as the New York Advisory Board for The Posse Foundation, of which she is an alumna. She is also a member of the Brooklyn Chapter of Links Inc.

Nelson has a bachelor of science degree in Human and Organizational Development from Vanderbilt University and a master of business administration degree in International Marketing and Finance from the Kellstadt Graduate School of Business at DePaul University.